The Labor enquirer., 1887-10-01

! !! LABOR oUI! !! 1! =! DENyEI
Z {. "a - !.
= ~ - tl(1 = I6lSE1 and
edviee .propee oe(jQ 4 ioieral discon.
tsat pesvaIIs q tkS ~ q tbs vealtb
pFodneers. 1blmegs ~, rl1srine from
Poverty vhieh has 1oeoo6 most Of them
% mortgage theif sotnfoo, ond prices OF
Prodnee ese - loW = - oGoe no relief
exoept through bonIuuptoy. Laborers
afe sinking into grso>or snd greater de-
peudeuca. 6txfkos aro rooortod 10 With
out relief, bseause Of the inability Of en-
p,oysrs In many eesse 70 nv living wages,
vnhe more and more are driven into the
strsets. Business msn And collections al
most impossibla, meontime hundreds of
millions Of idle publie money which is
needed for relief h looked up in the
United States treasury n grim mockery
OF the distress; land monopoly hourishes
a. never known before, and more and
more owners Of the soil are daily becom-
ing tenants. Great transportation corpo-
rations still succeed IN extorting their
pfofts upon watered stock through unjust
charges. The United States senate has
become an open scandal, It, seats being
purchased BY the rich IN open defiance Of
the popular win. triAing fisheries dis
pute 10 seized upon - IN excuse for nec-
essary military preparations which are
designed to breed spirit Of war, to ape
European despotisu, and to empty the
treasury without paying the public debt.
Under these and other alarming condi-
tions We appeal 70 the people of the
whole country TO come ont Of the old
party organisations, where indifference
to the public welfare Il responsible for
this distress, and help ~ to organize a
new political party, not sectional but ma
tional, whose members shall be called
whose object shall be to re-
peal all class laws In favor Of the rich, and
to relieve the distress Of our industries
by establishing the following principles:
l. Land-Every human being possesses
natural, inaliensble right to sufficient
land for self support, and We desire to Sc
cure to ever industrious citizen home as
the highest result Of free institutions. To
this end We desire a graduated land tax
on all land estates, especially those held
for speculative or tenant purpose; the re-
Of all unearned land grants;
the immediate opening of Oklahoma to
homestead settlement; the purchase of
all unoccupied Indian lands, and the set
Element of the various tribes in severalty;
also laws preventing corporations from
acquiring real estate beyond the requir-
ments Of their business, and alien owner
ship Of land. The system of irrigation,
In states and territories where necessary,
shall be under such public control as shall
secure the free and equitable use. of the
waters and franchises to the people.
2. Transportahon-Th means of com
or transportation should be
BY. the people, as is the United
States postal system, and equitable rates
established.
8. MOney-The establishment of a ma
tional monetary system in the interest of
the producer instead of the speculator
and usurer by which a circulating medium
in necessary quantity and full legal ten
der, shall be issued directly to the peo-
pie, without the intervention Of banks, or
loaned to citizens upon ample security at
q low rate of interest to relieve them from
the extortions of usury and enable them
to control the money supply. Postal saw
ings banks should be established. While
We have free coinage Of gold, we should
have free coinage of silver. We demand
the prompt payment of the national debt,
and condemn the further issue of interest
bearing bonds, either by the national gov
or by states, territories, counties
or municipalities.
4. Labor-Arbitration should take the
place of strikes and other injurious meth
DDS of settling labor disputes; the letting of
convict labor to contractors be prohibited; !;
the contract system be abolished in pub
lie works; the hours of labor in Industrial
be reduced commensurate
with the increase Of production in labor
saving machinery; employees to be pro-
lected from bodily injury; equal pay be-
ing given for equal work for both sexes,
and labor, agricultural and cooperative
be favored and incorporated
BY law. The foundation of a republic is
The intelligence of its citizens, and chill.
iren who are driven into workshops.
mines and factories are deprived of edu-
cation which should be secured by proper
legislation. We desire to see labor organ
izatiOns extend throughout all civilized
countries, until it shall be impossible for
iespots to array the workingmen of one
country in war against their brothers of
another country.
8. Soldiers and Sailors-In apprecia-
bion of the services of United States SOL
iiers and sailors we demand for them JUS
tice before charity. The purposely de-
preciated money paid them during the
war should be made equal in value to the
gold paid the bondholder. The soldier
was promised gold or its equivalent and
was paid in deprecated paper. The bond
holder loaned the government deprecated
paper and contracted to take it back, but
was paid in gold.
6. Income Taxa graduated income
is the most equitable system of taxation,
placing the burden Of government on
those who can best afford to pay, instead
Of laying it on the farmers and producers,
and exempting millionaire bondholders
and corporations.
T.. United States Senate-The capture
Of the United States senate by million
aires and and tools of corporations who
have no sympathy with free institutions,
threatens the very existence of the repub-
lie. We demand constitutional amend
nent making United States senators eleot-
i've by direct vote of the people.